Method and apparatus for boarding, inspecting, and classifying stockings



y 25, 1966 cs. G. HARRALSON, JR 3,262,616

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BOARDING, INSPECTING, AND

CLASSIFYING STOCKINGS Filed March 31, 1964 4 Sheets'Sheet l FIGI July 26, 966 G. G. HARRAL SON, JR 3,262,616 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BOARDING, INSPECTING, AND

CLASSIFYING STOCKINGS Filed March 31, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

GEORGE G. HARRAL$0N,JR.

2 m rr BY guy/H,

A TTORNE Y5 J y 1965 G. G. HARRALSON, JR 3,262,515

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BOARDING, INSPECTING, AND

CLASSIFYING STOCKINGS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGS ll l I 7/ m i ///m/ 27 0 W M MK INVENTOR.

GEORGE G. HARRALSON, JR.

A TTORNEYS y 25, 1966 G. G. HARRALSON, JR ,6 6

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BOARDING, INSPECTING, AND CLASSIFYING STOCKINGS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 51, 1964 FIG? FIGIO INVENTOR.

GEORGE G. HARRALSON,JR.

Anmf, gf w 'lu FIGIZ FIG II A TTORN E Y5 United States Patent METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BOARDING,

INSPECTING, AND CLASSIFYING STOCKINGS George Grayson Harralson, Jr., Princeton, Ky., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Pair-X, Inc, Paducah, Ky., a

corporation of Kentucky Filed Mar. 31, 1964, Ser. No. 356,154 7 Claims. (Cl. 223-76) This invention is directed to a method and apparatus for the manufacture of stockings, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for simultaneously boarding, inspecting and classifying stockings.

The invention is particularly directed to an apparatus and method for performing finishing or treating operations upon stockings during the manufacture thereof after the stockings have been knitted. In the usual production line, stockings are knit with a transverse opening across the toe which is subsequently closed by a looping operation in which the opposite sides of the opening are sewn together with a looping stitch. After the looping operation, the stocking undergoes a first inspection and then, depending upon the composition of the yarn, they may be subjected to a pre-boarding operation to shape and set the stockings to prevent subsequent shrinkage during laundering, or alternatively, the stockings may go directly from the first inspection to a stock room where they are stored until the final or finishing operations are performed pursuant to specific orders.

From the stock room the stockings normally go through a dyeing and subsequent drying operation which leaves them in a wrinkled, disorderly, and generally unmarketable condition so that they must be shaped by a boarding operation which includes placing the individual stockings on a form and passing the form through a heat chamber. The stockings are then removed from the form and placed in bundles and passed on to the pairing operation wherein the stockings are paired, inspected and counted by a single operator. This operation includes the steps of visually checking the individual stockings for defects, laying the inspected stockings flat on a work support, and comparing subsequently inspected stockings by laying one over the top of another until a pair matched according .to length is found. The matched pairs of stockings are placed on receiving trays and counted before being passed to subsequent operations such as heel marking, labeling, stapling, or the like depending upon the nature of the particular order.

From the above, it can be understood that the operation including the pairing, inspection, and counting as practiced in the usual production line is a very slow and difficult task, particularly where very careful final inspection and accuracy in pairing is .important, as in the manufacture of high quality stocking or stockings produced in accordance with certain military specifications. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method for use in manufacture of stockings which will eliminate the necessity for the separate inspection and pairing operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method for boarding, inspecting and classifying stockings in a single operation to eliminate the necessity of a separate inspection and pairing operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved form for use in a boarding apparatus including means to classify stockings boarded on the form according to length.

In the achievement of the foregoing and other objects, an important feature of the invention resides in the employment of a boarding, inspection and classifying apparatus including a heat chamber and conveyer means mov- 3,262,615 Patented July 26, 1966 ice able between a boarding and inspection station in front of the heat chamber, through the heat chamber to an inspecting and removing station. A plurality of boarding forms having the general shape of the profile of a human leg and foot are mounted on the conveyer means to support and shape the stockings as they pass through the heat chamber. Positioning indicia is provided on the leg portion of the form for indicating the point to which the welt end of a stocking should be drawn during the boarding operation, and a series of classification indicia are spaced along the leg portion to quickly and accurately indicate the length of the stocking after it has been shaped on the form. A pair of mirrors, positioned one at the boarding and inspection station and one at the inspection and removing station, permits quick viewing by the operator of the stocking from both sides as it is being boarded and again as it is being removed from the form, thereby eliminating the necessity of a subsequent separate inspection of the stockings.

A stocking receiving platform positioned adjacent the inspection and removing station includes a plurality of receiving trays with each of the receiving trays bearing indicia corresponding to the classification indicia on the leg portion of the boarding form so that an operator removing the shaped stockings from the forms may readily assort the stockings in accordance with the length of the stockings indicated by the position of the Welt of each stocking on the form to collect together in the respective trays groups of stockings which are matched according to length.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus with certain parts removed;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical fragmentary section taken on line 55 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical fragmentary section taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view partially in section and showing the means for driving the conveyer;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view in perspective of one end of the heating chamber;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a boarding form constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary view of the boarding form shown in FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 10 showing an alternate construction of'the form;

FIGURE 12 is a view similar to FIGURE 11 showing another alternate form; and

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of the stocking receiving platform shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, a boarding, inspecting and classifying apparatus embodying the present invention is referred to generally by the numeral 20 and includes a suitable frame 22 which supports a vertically extending heat chamber 24 having a substantially arcuate cross-section and including radially spaced insulated side walls 2628, an insulated top wall 30, and a bottom wall 32. Bottom wall 32 is provided with a continuous 'arcuate opening 34 throughout its length to provide continuous access into the interior 36 of the heat chamber. A vertical end wall 38, having an elongated opening 40 extending vertically above opening 34, is positioned over the entrance 42 of the heat chamber, and a similar end wall 44, including opening 46, is positioned over the exit 48.

The boarding apparatus is provided with a conveyer for moving the stockings through the heat chamber, and includes a form wheel 50 mounted for rotation about a vertical axis beneath heating chamber 24. Form wheel 50 includes an annular rim 52 supported concentrically on hub 54 by a plurality of spoke members 56. A plurality of circumferentially spaced mounting blocks 58 are positioned on rim 52 for releasably supporting individual boarding forms 60 for movement through the heat chamber 36. The axis of rotation of form wheel 50 is coincident with the radial center if arcuate opening 34 in bottom wall 32, and mounting blocks 58 are positioned radially on wheel 52 so that forms 60, positioned on blocks 58, will extend upward-1y through opening 34 into chamber 36 (most clearly seen in FIGURE Suitable means such as electric motor 62 acting through reduction gear mechanism 64, V belt 65, and pulley 66 mounted on shaft 67, are provided to drive the form wheel 50 for rotation about its vertical axis at a' constant rate to move forms 60 along a fixed continuous path through heat chamber 24 from entrance 42 to exit 48. Preferably wheel 50 is driven through a friction clutch mechanism, indicated generally at 68, so that, if desired or necessary the wheel 50 may be manually stopped.

The temperature within heating chamber 24 is maintained at a sufiiciently high level by suitable means such as electrical heating elements (not shown) to shape stockings on the forms 60 as they are moved through the heating chamber by conveyer means 50. To maintain a uniform temperature throughout the interior 36 of chamber 24, air is circulated by a blower 69 having a d scharge 70 near the bottom center of Wall 28. Suitable baffles 72 are provided to disperse the air uniformly throughout the interior of the chamber. To provide for recirculating the heated air and thereby minimize heat loss, the inlet to the blower is connected, by suitable conduits 74, to the upper corners of wall 28 adjacent the inlet and outlet of the heat chamber.

As most clearly seen in FIGURES 9-12, stocking forms 60 include an elongated leg portion 80 having an inclined foot portion 82, including heel portion 83, at one end thereof so that form 60 has the general shape of the profile of a human leg and foot. A wedge shaped portion 84 is formed on the end opposite foot portion 82, and includes an elongated slot 86. Portion 84 is adapted to be received in a V-shaped support 88 with clamp means 90 received in slot 86 to retain form 60 on mounting block 58.

The leg portion 80 of form 60 is provided with positioning indicia 92 for indicating to a boarding operation the point to which the Welt end of a stocking should be drawn during the boarding operation. Leg portion 80 also includes a series of classification indicia 94 spaced longitudinally along said leg portion for accurately indicating the length of a stocking after it has been shaped on the form by passing through the heat chamber. Indicia 92, 94 are visible from both sides of the form and preferably are both color coded and arranged in geometric designs as indicated in FIGURES -12. These indicia may be formed by first forming an aperture through the flat leg portion 80 of form 60 and then inserting a suitably colored material, such as colored Teflon or the like, into the apertures to form a smooth, continuous surface which will not be removed or effected by the heat from the heat chamber or friction from repeated boarding and removing operations.

As best seen in FIGURE 1, the boarding apparatus 20 is provided with a work table 100 where a boarding and inspection operator may receive stockings from the stock room and place them, one at a time, on the individual forms 60 as they are moved by the boarding stations on form wheel 50. A mirror 102 is mounted at the boarding and inspecting station 104 radially inboard of mounting blocks 58 above wheel 50 so that the operator may visually inspect a stocking positioned on a form by direct viewing on the side of the form outboard of the form wheel 'and by indirect viewing, through the mirror, on the side radially inboard.

A second operator is positioned at an inspection and removing station 106 adjacent exit 48 to visually inspect the stockings as they pass from the heating chamber and to remove the shaped stockings from the forms. A second mirror 108, similar to mirror 102, is provided at station 106 to permit visual inspection of both sides of the stocking before it is removed from the form. I

A plurality of receiving platforms 110 are provided adjacent the inspection and removing station for receiving stockings removed from forms 60 as they emerge from the heating chamber 24. A separate platform 110 is provided for each classification indicia 94 on form 60, and each platform is provided with a manually oper ated counter 112 which is actuated by the operator each time a stocking is placed on the respective platform. In addition, receiving trays 114 may be provided for re ceiving groups of stockings which have been accumulated on the receiving platforms. Also, a reject receptacle 116 and counter 118 is provided adjacent inspection and removing station 106 for receiving stockings which are noted as being defective.

Suitable indicia 120 is provided adjacent each mount ing block 58, preferably on wheel rim 52, so that when the boarding operator notes that a defective stocking has been placed on a form 60, the operator may identify the form by number and alert the inspecting and removing operator of the defective condition.

In the practice of a method of boarding, inspecting and classifying stockings, according to this invention, stockings are received from the dyeing and drying operation onto table 100 where an operator picks them up one at a time and places them onto consecutive forms 60 as the conveyer moves the forms past the boarding station. The stocking is positioned on form 60 with the heel of the stocking properly positioned on the heel portion 83 of the form, and the welt end of the stocking is drawn down over the leg portion 80 to a point indicated by the positioning indicia 92. As the operator positions the stocking on the form, the stocking is visually inspected from both sides, the mirror 102 being used to visually inspect the side of the stocking most remote from the operator. If a defect is noted in a stocking after it has been positioned on the form, the boarding operator notes the number adjacent the mounting block, and calls out this number to alert the inspection and removing operator that a defective stocking is coming up on the form number noted. As the form wheel 50 continues to rotate, the forms and stockings carried thereon pass through the opening 40 in end panel 38 of the heating chamber and progress along a fixed path through the heating chamber at a fixed rate to emerge through opening 46 in end panel 44. a

As the stockings emerge from the exit of the heating chamber, an inspection and removing operator visually inspects the stocking, using mirror 104 to inspect the side of the stocking most remote from the operator. At the same time the operator is inspecting the stock ing, the position of the welt end of the stocking with respect to the classifying indicia 94 on the leg portion of the form is noted. The operator then manually removes the shaped stocking from the form and (assuming the stocking not to be defective) places it in a smooth, fiat condition on the appropriate receiving platform, depending upon its length as indicated by the position of the welt with respect to classification indicia on the form. When a stocking is placed on a platform, the operator manually actu-ates a counting mechanism and, when a predetermined member of individual stockings are accumulated on an individual receiving platform, for example one dozen pair, the bundle may be removed and placed upon a convenient receiving tray for subsequent removal. Since the final inspection is performed on the stockings after they have been shaped by passing through the heat chamber and while they are still stretched over the boarding form, this inspection may be performed at a highly increased rate and at greatly improved efiiciency.

From the above, it can be seen that I have provided a method and apparatus for boarding, inspecting and classifying stockings which eliminates the diflicult and time consuming task of pairing and which greatly increases the efiiciency and accuracy of the final inspec tion of the stockings, thereby assuring a higher quality finished product.

What is claimed is:

1. For use in combination with a stocking boarding, inspection and classifying apparatus including a heat chamber, conveyer means for moving boarded stockings from a boarding and inspection station through the heat chamber to an inspection and removing station, a boarding for-m comprising an elongated leg portion and a foot portion at one end of said leg portion, said form being substantially flat and having the general shape of the profile of a human leg and foot, means for supporting said form on the conveyer means, positioning indicia on said leg portion for indicating the point to which the welt end of a stocking should be drawn during the boarding operation, and a series of classification indicia spaced along said leg portion from said positioning indica for accurately indicating the length of the stocking after it has been shaped on said form by passing through the heat chamber, said classification indicia including a series of circular discs contained in openings extending through said leg portion.

2. For use in combination with a stocking boarding, inspection and classifying apparatus including a heat chamber, conveyer means for moving boarded stockings from a boarding and inspection station through the heat chamber to an inspection and removing station, a boarding form comprising an elongated leg portion and a foot portion at one end of said leg portion, said form being substantially flat and having the general shape of the profile of a human leg and foot, means supporting said form on the conveyer means, positioning indicia on said leg portion for indicating the point to which the welt end of a stocking should be drawn during the boarding operation, and a series of classification indicia spaced from said positioning indicia along and extending through said leg portion for accurately indicating the length of a stocking after it has been shaped on said form by passing through the heat chamber, said indicia including a disc of color coated material retained in openings extending through said leg portion.

3. A stocking receiving form for use with a stocking boarding machine comprising an elongated leg portion and a foot portion at one end of said leg portion, said form being substantially flat and having the general shape of a profile of a human leg and foot, means at one end of said leg portion for releasably mounting said form on the conveyer of a stocking boarding machine, means visible on both sides of said leg portion for classifying stockings on said form according to size, said classifying means including a plurality of apertures extending through said leg portion and spaced along the length thereof, and disc members fixedly secured in said apertures and visible from both sides of said form, said disc members being color coded to assure prompt recognition of the length of the stocking when viewed from either side of the form.

4. In the production of stockings, an apparatus for boarding, inspecting and classifying stockings comprising, in combination, a frame, a heating and drying chamber supported on said frame and having an entrance and exit, a boarding and inspection station near said entrance and an inspection and removing station near said exit, means driving said conveyer means for movement along a fixed path from said boarding and inspection station through said heating chamber to said inspection and removing station, means on said conveyer means for mounting a generally fiat boarding form having an elongated leg portion and a foot portion at one end thereof, said boarding form having the general shape of the profile of a human leg and foot, a series of classifying indicia on said form for classifying stockings boarded on said apparatus according to length, mirror means carried by the boarding apparatus at said boarding and inspection station and at said inspection and removing station to permit viewing of said form moving on said conveyer from both sides, and a stocking receiving platform for receiving stockings removed from said form by an operator at said inspection and removing station, said platform having a plurality of receiving trays, with each receiving tray bearing indicia corresponding to selected classifying indicia on said stocking receiving form.

5. The invention according to claim 4, wherein said stocking receiving platform includes a counter at each receiving tray and operable by the operator at said inspection and removing station for indicating the number of stockings placed in the respective trays by the operator.

6. The invention according to claim 5, wherein said boarding form includes positioning indicia on said leg portion for indicating the point to which the welt end of a stocking should be drawn during the boarding operation.

7. In the production of stockings, a method of board-- ing and classifying stockings comprising the steps of successively placing the stockings on individual boarding forms and positioning the welt end of each stocking at a selected indicator on the leg portion of the inspection form, subjecting the forms with the stockings positioned thereon to heat sufiicient to shape the stockings on the forms, subsequently visually ascertaining the location of the welt end of each stocking on the respective forms, removing the shaped stockings from the individual for-ms, and manually asserting the shaped stockings in accordance with the length of the stocking indicated by the position of the welt end of each stocking on the form to collect together groups of stockings matched according to length.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,356,852 10/1920 Clark 209-l23 1,976,264 lO/ 1934 Miner 3374 X 2,661,877 12/ 1953 Albertson 223-- 2,914,226 11/ 1959 Russell 22375 3,044,669 7/1962 Kienel 22343 FOREIGN PATENTS 738,696 10/ 1955 Great Britain. 911,378 11/ 1962 Great Britain.

FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, M. J. COLITZ,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. FOR USE IN COMBINATION WITH A STOCKING BOARDING, INSPECTION AND CLASSIFYING APPARATUS INCLUDING A HEAT CHAMBER, CONVEYOR MEANS FOR MOVING BOARDED STOCKINGS FROM A BOARDING AND INSPECTION STATION THROUGH THE HEAT CHAMBER TO AN INSPECTION AND REMOVING STATION, A BOARDING FROM COMPRISING AN ELONGATED LEG PORTION AND A FOOT PORTION AT ONE END OF SAID LEG PORTION, SAID FROM BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT AND HAVING THE GENERAL SHAPE OF THE PROFILE OF A HUMAN LEG AND FOOT, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID FORM ON THE CONVEYOR MEANS, POSITIONING INDICIA ON SAID LEG PORTION FOR INDICATING THE POINT TO WHICH THE WELT END OF A STACKING SHOULD BE DRAWN DURING THE BOARDING OPERATION, AND A SERIES OF CLASSIFICATION INDICIA SPACED ALONG SAID LEG PORTION FROM SAID POSITIONING INDICIA FOR ACCURATELY INDICATING THE LENGTH OF THE STOCKING AFTER IT HAS BEEN SHAPED ON SAID FORM BY PASSING THROUGH THE HEAT CHAMBER, SAID CLASSIFICATION INDICIA INCLUDING A SERIES OF CIRCULAR DISCS CONTAINED IN OPENINGS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID LEG PORTION. 